Chinese Steamed Pancakes with Egg and Chives Recipe
These are delicate, soft rice-and-wheat pancakes with egg and chives, cooked by steaming. They’re a bit like a cross between a Polish crêpe and a steamed dumpling wrapper. In China, light dishes like this are often eaten for breakfast or as a daytime snack – filling but not heavy, perfect with a mug of hot tea.
These steamed pancakes combine the softness of rice batter with the richness of egg and the freshness of chives, giving you a light but satisfying dish that feels different from classic pan-fried crêpes. Steaming keeps them tender and moist, and the simple soy-vinegar sauce adds a bright, savory finish.
Chef's tips
Use a plate or dish that fits comfortably into your steamer setup and heats evenly – thin metal can warp, so a sturdy ceramic plate works best. The batter should be quite thin; if it feels too thick and doesn’t spread easily, add a little more water. Don’t overfill with egg mixture, or the layer will be too thick and take longer to set.
How to serve
Serve with hot green tea or jasmine tea. Add a side of lightly pickled vegetables or a simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame oil. For a more filling meal, pair with a bowl of clear broth or miso soup.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 120 g
- rice flour you can replace it with only wheat flour, but the texture will be different - 80 g
- water lukewarm - 260 ml
- eggs - 3 piece
- chives finely chopped - 4 tablespoons
- salt for the batter - 0.5 teaspoons
- oil for greasing the dish - 2 tablespoons
- soy sauce for serving - 2 tablespoons
- rice vinegar for serving, can be replaced with apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- sesame oil for the sauce, optional - 0.5 teaspoons
- garlic finely grated for the sauce, optional - 1 clove
Preparation
- In a bowl, mix the wheat flour, rice flour and salt. Gradually pour in the lukewarm water, stirring constantly with a whisk or fork until you get a smooth, fairly thin batter without lumps, similar to batter for thin crêpes. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, beat 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt. Add 3 tablespoons of chopped chives and mix.
- Prepare a pot for steaming: pour water into the pot to a height of about 3–4 cm and bring to a boil. Place a steamer insert or a metal sieve that can hold the weight of a flat plate on top of the pot.
- Lightly grease a flat plate or a low round ovenproof dish with a thin layer of oil (a brush or paper towel works best).
- Pour a thin layer of batter onto the plate – just enough to cover the bottom, but very thin (like a thin crêpe). Carefully place the plate on the steamer insert, cover with a lid and steam for 3–4 minutes, until the batter sets and becomes semi-translucent.
- Gently pour some of the egg-and-chive mixture over the top, spreading it in a thin layer over the surface. Steam for another 2–3 minutes, until the egg is fully set (the surface should not be runny).
- Carefully remove the plate (it will be hot) and let it cool slightly for about a minute. Then, using a knife or spatula, gently loosen the edges of the pancake and roll it up. Cut the roll into pieces about 3 cm wide.
- Repeat with the remaining portions of batter and egg mixture until everything is used up. Remember to lightly grease the plate with oil each time.
- Make a simple dipping sauce: in a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and grated garlic. Taste and add a little water if the sauce is too strong.
- Arrange the finished pancake pieces on a plate, sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve with a small bowl of dipping sauce.
Storage
Przechowuj naleśniki bez sosu, szczelnie przykryte. Podgrzewaj krótko na parze lub w mikrofalówce pod przykryciem, aby nie wyschły.
